Investors shouldn't just take companies' word for what they're doing; they should investigate what the companies are actually doing regarding human rights.
This week, Richard Howitt welcomes Robert McCorquodale, professor of international law and human rights and current chair of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, to discuss their report presented last month to the 56th Human Rights Council on investor responsibility to respect human rights.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
Resources:
“So what investors can do is actually do human rights due diligence when they're deciding to invest in a particular company. Find out what actually is that company doing, not just what they're saying they're doing. When I speak to companies who are being asked these questions by investors, they often say “they're not even asking us the right questions.” They can ask a question such as how many women are there employed in your workforce? The answer could be more than 50% and you get a tick that says nothing about actually what is the discrimination, harassment, pay or anything about women.”
What is the future of sustainable business? Listen to Chris Coulter, CEO of Globescan and Mark Lee, Global Director of Thought Leadership at the SustainAbility Institute by ERM
What impact is effective supply chain due diligence already having on the lives of workers across the world? Listen to Kate Lewis, Head of Membership at the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and Francesca Mangano, Head of CSR and Sustainability at TFG London
How is the green transition unfolding in Central and Eastern Europe? Listen to Tsvetelina Kuzmanova, Sustainable Finance Policy Lead, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership